Independence Day 2: New Story and Character Rumors
Roland Emmerich's Independence Day 2 is set for a summer 2016 release - and we've got some clues as to what's going to happen... This post may, inevitably, have what turn out to be some spoilers for Independence Day 2 in it. Director Roland Emmerich starts shooting the long, long mooted sequel to Independence Day this year, with Independence Day 2 mooted for a summer 2016 release. Thus far, most of the recent chatter about the project has been to do with the casting of it, specifically that Will Smith won't be returning to the lead role. But over at Film Divider, a few other details about the film have come to light. It reports that the focus will once again be on "different small groups in their separate, awful situations," and that amongst the characters returning for the new movie will be those played by Judd Hirsch, Vivica A Fox and - of course - Jeff Goldblum. The hint is that we're going to see some of the impact of the first film on those characters' lives. That said, a new younger cast is also being recruited, playing characters that have grown up in the aftermath of the alien invasion from the first Independence Day. Patricia Whitmore - the President's daughter - is grown up in this one, and she and her boyfriend sound like they're going to be sizeable characters. Said boyfriend will be a "hotshot pilot," and the pair will be around 20 years old. The younger cast are likely to "be the focal point of the action," and the filmmakers are also said to be on the lookout for a "comic relief sidekick." That said, there's going to be a new love interest for Jeff Goldblum's character too, according to the report. Back when Will Smith was still a possible inclusion in the movie as Captain Hiller, there would have been room for his daughter and stepson. Hiller at one stage was set to be US President in Independence Day 2, but that idea has since been scrapped. His screen offspring may still appear. As for the basic storyline? It looks like we're going to get "the same generation of invaders against the next generation of Earth's defense." Humans will have researched and been using the alien technology left behind after the last one, and will be set to use it against the invaders this time. Lots could, of course, change by the time Independence Day 2 makes its summer 2016 bow, but that appears to be the state of the project right now.